The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Internal combustion engines ignite a fuel and air mixture to produce drive torque. More specifically, air is drawn into the engine through a throttle and mixed with fuel to form an air and fuel mixture. The air and fuel mixture is compressed within a cylinder by a piston and is then ignited within a cylinder to reciprocally drive the piston within the cylinder. The piston rotatably drives a crankshaft of the engine.
Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems are used to reduce engine exhaust emissions by directing a portion of the exhaust gas back to the intake manifold. The re-circulated exhaust gas is mixed with fuel and air and combusted in the engine. Prior to entering an intake manifold, the re-circulated exhaust gas is cooled to keep the intake manifold below a predetermined temperature. A cooling system, including, but not limited to, an EGR cooler, is generally provided for this purpose.
A turbocharger may include a turbine and a compressor linked by a shared axle. The exhaust gas may enter the turbine inlet, causing a turbine wheel to rotate. This rotation drives the compressor to compress ambient air and deliver the compressed air into the air intake manifold of the engine. The compressed air results in a greater amount of air entering the cylinder. A cooling system, including, but not limited to, a charge air cooler, may cool the compressed air before it enters the engine.
Performance of the cooling system (for example only, the EGR cooler or the charge air cooler) is generally monitored by two temperature sensors. One temperature sensor is provided at an inlet of the cooling system and the other temperature sensor is provided at an outlet of the cooling system. The efficiency of the cooling system is determined by comparing the inlet temperature with the outlet temperature of the fluid flowing through the cooling system.